Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 325 Right and Wrong, Who Can Tell the Truth from the Falsehood?

"Hmm, what is this?"

Zhu Houzhao covered his head and stood up in a daze. His memory was still stuck in the morning when he learned that Zhu Jinzhen's Jingnan army was already at the city gates, and he decisively ordered Yu Huatian to shatter his heart meridian with the Heart-Shattering Palm.

Completely unaware of the horrified and astonished civil and military officials inside the Fengtian Hall.

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty...Your Majesty, this...this..." Minister of Justice He Jian's voice trembled, and he couldn't even utter a complete sentence. He stared at Zhu Houzhao's figure with eyes full of terror.

And, unbelievable.

As the Minister of Justice, He Jian was by no means a good-for-nothing.

He might not be a professional coroner, but he was already quite familiar with the various punishments and deaths in the Ministry of Justice's prison, so he was certain that Zhu Houzhao was indeed dead.

Can……

What is the explanation now?
"Wow, Your Majesty, you really..." Princess Yunluo exclaimed excitedly, rushing to Zhu Houzhao's side as if flying, her eyes blinking as she looked him up and down.

Princess Yunluo was by Zhu Houzhao's side when he died this morning.

Therefore, when the miracle occurred, and the divine resurrection appeared before her eyes, she was the most excited person of all.

On the one hand, it was because of the resurrection of his elder brother, Zhu Houzhao, and on the other hand, it was because of the astonishingly unpredictable methods of Zhu Jinzhen.

After confirming that Zhu Houzhao had not risen from the dead but had truly come back to life, all the civil and military officials in the Fengtian Hall were completely stunned.

When the emperor dies, that's it.

When Prince Su became the successor emperor and the new ruler of the Ming Dynasty, they naturally flocked to support him.

But now, Zhu Houzhao, the legitimate emperor, has been resurrected. Zhu Jinzhen, who succeeded in the Jingnan Campaign, sits on the throne, looking at them with a smile. Between the old master and the new emperor, how should they choose sides?
I fear that if I make a wrong move, I will be doomed forever.

Only the ministers of the six ministries remained calm and unmoved in this regard.

"Alright, Yunluo, stop fooling around."

Although Zhu Houzhao was slow to realize what was happening, he was a man who had died twice before, and he quickly realized what had happened. He hurriedly reached out and slapped away his sister, Princess Yunluo, who was groping him, whether out of concern or curiosity.

"it is good."

Upon hearing this, Princess Yunluo clutched her aching hand, stuck out her tongue, and stepped aside.

Having confirmed that this was indeed her elder brother, and that he had truly come back from the dead, she naturally wouldn't make a fuss.

"Your Majesty, have you really... come back from the dead?" A minister, mustering his courage, stepped forward and looked Zhu Houzhao up and down, swallowing hard.

Zhu Houzhao remained silent. He wanted to ask Zhu Jinzhen why he wasn't acting according to the agreed-upon script and instead quietly left the stage.

However, Zhu Houzhao's temperament, honed by his years as emperor, was not to be underestimated. He quickly discerned the underlying issues from the shock, fear, curiosity, and subtle sympathy of the officials around him.

With Zhu Jinzhen sitting firmly on the throne with a smile on his lips, Zhu Houzhao immediately had a rough guess in his mind.

"Is there anyone who can explain to me what happened after I was murdered?"

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, this is what happened."

Upon seeing Zhu Houzhao revived, Eunuch Sun hurriedly came to his side to serve him, and at the same time recounted in detail what had happened in the Fengtian Hall, omitting the earlier part about Zhu Jinzhen sitting on the throne and the fierce opposition from many civil officials in the court that led to the killing.

It was merely a subtle reminder to Zhu Houzhao that in the Fengtian Hall just now, Zhu Wushi had admitted to the crime of conspiring with the cabinet to murder the emperor, and said that the civil and military officials in the court were vying to defend the cabinet, and did not believe that the cabinet was also involved, and so on.

Then, Zhu Jinzhen seemed annoyed by the noise and told the whole story of how he used his extraordinary abilities to revive him after he was put back to life.

"Uh……"

Zhu Houzhao sighed, then turned to look at Zhu Jinzhen, who sat on the throne with a half-smile on his face. "So, so much has happened while I was away." Zhu Houzhao was filled with resentment at this moment.

What do you mean by letting this emperor rise up and die again?

Zhu Jinzhen wouldn't just revive him for a short while, and then make him die again, would he?

No way?
Could it be that cruel and boring?
But Zhu Houzhao was filled with uncertainty.

Although he didn't know much about Zhu Jinzhen, he did know that Zhu Jinzhen was somewhat of a witty and humorous person.

His concerns may not be unfounded.

However, Zhu Houzhao could only suppress the tingling sensation on his scalp and turn to look at the court officials: "I have been resurrected. If you have any questions, you may ask them."

ask?
Everyone was speechless. What else was there to ask?
What else would they dare ask?
Zhu Houzhao's miraculous recovery was witnessed by all of them.

The real culprit is right in front of us. Do we need to waste any more words asking who the murderer is?
Even the officials who had just spoken up for Yang Yanhe and Li Dongyang have now all fallen silent. They dare not even glance at Zhu Houzhao, let alone speak.

Zhu Jinzhen smiled knowingly. "Just now, didn't you all solemnly swear that Yang Yanhe and the others wouldn't plot rebellion and murder the emperor?"

Why are you not saying a word now?

"The emperor is alive now. If you truly feel they have been wronged, you can speak freely before him!"

This……

Many officials looked at each other, unsure how to respond.

At this moment, an official stepped forward with a stiff upper lip. He first bowed to Zhu Houzhao, then greeted Zhu Jinzhen, and said, "Now that His Majesty is unharmed, the charge of regicide..."

Zhu Houzhao has already been resurrected, even if the cabinet really colluded with Zhu Wushi to murder the emperor.

Now, it seems that this charge... can be dropped, right?

Although this was sophistry, many officials present did find it enlightening.

"Who said I'm unharmed?"

Zhu Houzhao rolled his eyes and then stared coldly at the person who spoke: "I recognize you, Lin Lang, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief. You were the top scholar in the imperial examination during the Hongzhi era and later became a disciple of Li Dongyang."

"Your sophistry just now was meant to tell all the officials and people of the world that I have been resurrected by Prince Su, and that the charge of regicide no longer applies?"

"Your Majesty, no... that's not what I meant." Lin Lang was sweating profusely. He had been so focused on sophistry that he and his teacher were exonerated and implicated, but he had completely forgotten that it was not an ordinary person who had died, but the emperor.

The crime of regicide could not be forgiven simply because Zhu Houzhao was resurrected.

On the contrary, his words just now only further provoked the emperor, who had 'died once'.

As expected, Zhu Houzhao merely gave him a cold smile, then turned to look at Zhu Jinzhen, who was sitting on the throne that originally belonged to Zhu Houzhao, and nodded slightly: "Prince Su, I have reasonable suspicion that this traitor is also one of the rebels involved in the treason. After I leave, I hope you will investigate thoroughly. All those who participate in the treason, regardless of their status or position, are guilty of crimes that cannot be punished and must not be let go."

Zhu Houzhao's words meant only one thing: he, as the emperor, could not die in vain.

"Your Majesty, what does this mean?"

"After I'm gone? Could it be that Your Majesty's resurrection is only temporary?"

"It doesn't seem like it. I have some knowledge of medicine, and His Majesty's complexion is no different from that of an ordinary person, and is even much healthier. It doesn't seem like he would suddenly die!"

At this time, the fate of Lin Lang, the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief, was of little concern to most people.

Everyone was even more curious about how this newly resurrected emperor would react to Zhu Jinzhen, who sat on the throne under the banner of suppressing the rebellion. Would he force them to take sides and fight to the death?
Or did he understand that the tide had turned and there was no way to reverse it, so he chose to submit to reality, preserve his last bit of dignity, and abdicate the throne?
(End of this chapter)